Helga's Big Secret
by ck3712
Summary: Arnold's eyes have been opened up since the future predictor cutie catcher test, and the dream that came with it. Why is Helga so mean to him? Maybe she's hiding something. This story is how I think Arnold might have found out had there been no FTi.
1. Suspicion

**Hello everyone! I hope u enjoy my first ever Hey Arnold! fanfic! it's exciting to have it posted so everyone can read it! I wasn't exactly sure what to name the chapter, so im open to ideas! feel free to give me some of urs! enjoy the first chapter! YEAH!**

Helga starts to throw spitballs at Arnold at the beginning of class, as usual. Arnold turns around to see Helga preparing another wad. Then she looks up from her fingers and whispers, "What!" as she notices him glaring at her angrily. Then he turns back to face front. Throughout class up to lunch she continuously throws spitballs at him in the back of the head. After awhile he ignores it to a certain extent, annoyed a great deal.

At lunch, Arnold and Gerald are chatting in the lunch line, as usual. Arnold doesn't pay attention and bumps into Helga, causing her tray to spill onto her pink dress. "Watch it, footballhead! Look at what you did!" "Sorry, Helga. Let me help you clean it up." Arnold set his tray on the rail and bent down with some napkins, scooping up the spilt pudding cup. "Hey, back off! I can clean this mess you made on my own!" Arnold looked at her with a look of not only aggrivation, but suspition as well as he and Gerald walked toward their usual lunch table.

"Man, she just loves picking on you, Arnold." Gerald exclaimed as they sat down at their table. "Yeah, I don't get it, Gerald. Why does she always pick on me?" Arnold replied. "Arnold, the real question is, why does she pick on anybody at all? Think about it. What did any of us do to her? Nothing! Absolutely nothing. And yet she still picks on us. It makes no sense." "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just, why me specifically? I mean, She picks on me so much more than everyone else. How could you explain that?" "I don't know, Arnold. Maybe she really hates you." "Maybe." Arnold sighed and then sipped from his milk carton.

After they got back from lunch, Arnold takes his seat and Helga takes hers behind him, a row over or so. Mr. Simmons walks up to the front of the class, holding a stack of notebook papers with horrid handwriting on almost all of them, save a select few who actually bother to put some effort in making their words even remotely ledgible. "Okay, class. Settle down." he says as he gestures to the students seated in front of him. "Now, without further a dew, I will now read a piece selected from last weeks writing entries." He then looks down at the stack now held in both of his hands. He flips through them, scanning title after title, until his eyes come across the said selected entry. He carefully slides it out of the stack and sets the stack down on his desk, selected piece still in hand. "Lovely, yet another love poem by Anonymous."

Arnold heard a sudden rubbing and turned his head. Helga was sinking dramatically low in her seat. Then he noticed her face. A nervous expression was slapped across it. He didn't understand why. She shouldn't be nervous. What reason could she possibly have for being nervous? It made no sense. She was Helga G. Pataki for crying out loud! The meanest girl in the 4th grade! She was supposed to be the one to cause other people nervousness. Then he decided it be best if he put off the hard thinking til' later.

As Arnold was about to take his first step onto the bus, Helga burst through the school doors, scrambling for the bus. When she spotted it, she noticed Arnold about to board. She stomped up the bus steps, shoved Arnold, along with a few others, out of her way, and just before she took her seat next to Phoebe, she turned to Arnold, scowl planted in her face, and remarked, "What are you looking at, geekbait?" Then she sat down. Arnold hesitated, annoyed, then he stood up and proceded to his seat next to Gerald. "Man, oh, man! She really hates you doesn't she?" he said. "I know! It makes no sense." Arnold replied.

"What do you mean?" Gerald was confused. "Why would she hate me so much? I didn't do any thing to lead her on to hate me. Yet she's been taunting me and calling me footballhead since we were three. We hardly knew each other then. So tell me, Gerald, why does she hate me?" Arnold ranted to Gerald. He could tell Arnold was frustrated. Then somthing came to mind. Though he highly suspected this thought to be true, he didn't say anything. He wanted Arnold to figure it out on his own. But he really wanted to tell him his thoughts!

As Gerald's thoughts practically ate him alive inside, Arnold wasn't noticing his friend's mental conflict with himself as he, too, was arguing his own thoughts. He just couldn't understand why she was in this constant act of being so mean to him? No, not just him, but just about everyone she has ever known. Ever since preschool. He remembered though, that when he first met her in the rain, she was all alone, her eyes were ready to fill with tears, she was covered in mud. He felt bad, so he walked over and held his umbrella over her head as he said, "Nice bow." "Huh?" She replied in the fact that she didn't quite catch what he said. He continued with repitition of his comment. "I like your bow, because it's pink like your pants." He smiled at her. Then he walked into the building as he closed his umbrella passed her. He then took off his raincoat and hung it up, along with the umbrella, in a cubbie hole of his choosing, excited to start his day of preschool with his new best friend, Gerald.

At snack time, they were eating graham crackers and sipping juice. He was sipping his juice when he noticed the girl in pink overralls had tears brimming her eyes, readying themselves to fall. He then noticed a chubby boy chewing and laughing obnoxiously at the same time while cracker crumbs fell from his swollen lips. Arnold realized what had just happened. He ate her graham crackers. He felt bad again, so he put on a smile and walked over there, plate of crackers in hand. He stopped upon arrival at her table and lowered his crackers so she could see. "Want mine?" he said, smile still warm on his face. She simply nodded as she blinked her tears away and took the plate from his hand. He looked at her once more, then walked back to his table and continued talking to his friend. As he and gerald continued chatting, he suddenly heard the obnoxious laughter again, looked over, and noticed the same chubby boy mocking a wierd face. Then the boy pointed to the girl in pink as he continued to laugh. He then looked to the girl in confusion and noticed she saw him looking at her. As he continued to watch, the girl looked back to the others, laughing at her. Her eyes were filled with tears, and fear.

Then she looked down in her thoughts, her brow a straght line now. She then looked back at the chubby boy and pushed him over roughly, interrupting his rude act of laughter. As Arnold continued watching, the pink girl stood on the bench of the snack table, facing the fallen boy. She held her hands up, balled into fists, and said, "Quit laughing, geekbait, or you'll have to answer to Ol' Betsy and the, and the Five Avengers!" She gestured each fist individually to him. "Old who and the five what?" The boy replied in an upward tone in his voice. "My fists, stupid. That's their names!" "What! W-wait, you're fists have names? Oh, you're confusing me!" He held his head in utter confusion. She then jumped forward and landed pourposely on his stomach, causing him to go "Oof!" and his eyes to bug out. She stepped off of him and marched through a block building, knoking it down, as she announced, "I'm the boss around here." Then she turned her head to the other kids behind her and continued. "Got it?" In astonshment, they all stared at her in potential fear and simaltaniously nodded.

As he looked back, Arnold felt there was something about then that made him feel, unusual. Uneasy, even a bit queasy at first, but when he saw her push that chubby boy over, the feeling went away and was replaced with something else. Fear was part of it, but that's not all. It wasn't quite hatred, it was, _oh, what's the word?_ he thought. Then his eyes went wide. Disapointment. He had felt disapointment after the uneasiness.

But, why? It still made no sense. And yet it did. How did it make so much sense to him? What caused him to feel such disapointment all those years ago? He was only three at the time. How could he have felt such a mature feeling at three? As he continued to think about it, he had realized the bus had just stopped at his stop and Gerald was getting up from his seat, breaking his train of thought, for now.

He has been thinking about it in his room for hours now. He just didn't get it. Why was she so mean? When he first met her, she seemed sad, lonely. Then at snacktime she turned mean. Wait a minute, whatever caused this must have happened at snacktime that day. But what? Let's see, he gave her his crackers, the chubby boy made a weird face and laughed... and then she pushed him down! The weird face, he must have been making fun of it! She wust have made that face when he wasn't looking! But why?

Maybe if he remembered the face of mockery that chubby boy made, that might tell him why. Now, what was the face again? Hmmmm. Then it started coming back to him. His hands were clasped together and held close to him, his head was tilted slightly, he was smiling softly, his brow was in an upside down v, and he was batting his eyelashes. That was so weird. She was scared when she looked back to him. He couldn't figure out how they were connected. Then his eyes went wide.

_But there's no way that could be right_ he thought. _Then again, she has looked at me like that a lot. And she has done a lot over the years to help me. I guess it could be possible._ He then shuddered at another memory shared with her. _It's so creepy to just think of the idea as a possbility. There's only one way to find out for sure._ He let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding. _Or maybe more. _Then he let out a yawn and stretched his arms out. _I'll talk to Gerald about it tomarrow._ He thought out loud as he fell asleep, letting his dreams cloud his thoughts for the rest of the night.

The next day, Arnold and Gerald just got off the bus and were walking to class.

"Gerald, remember that weird dream I had a while ago?" Arnold asked.

"Which one?" Gerald replied.

"The one I had after I took that marriage predictor test, remember that one?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, I've been thinking, and,"

"Oh, no. Don't tell me you actually like her, like her, do you?"

"No, no! It just sort of, woke me up, you know?"

"I'm not following you."

"Well, I've been paying more attention since then, and, well, I've noticed some things."

"Like, what kind of things?"

"Well, for one thing, she keeps staring at me in class."

"So?"

"So, she doesn't scowl at me until I turn my head. Then she says 'What!' and I face front again. It gives me the chills. It's weird."

"That does sound kinda creepy."

"And when we found that little pink book, she tore the last page out and threw it at me as a spitball."

"Yeah,"

Arnold looks at the sidewalk in thought. "When I look back, I noticed something I didn't notice before."

"And, what was that?"

"When she ran up and tore that page out, she was rather quick about it. Almost like she was, trying to hide something."

Gerald was fed up with the confusion Arnold was giving him. "Arnold, what exactly are you getting at?" he said as he gestured toward Arnold and gave him a confused look.

He looked back up at his friend as he said, "Gerald, I think she likes me."


	2. Taking The First Step

**Hi! Welcome to chapie 2! i hope u have enjoyed the story so far! I call this chapter, TAKING THE FIRST STEP. read and review to let me know what u think! oh, and something else...**

**PUDDING!**

**there, another random word that has nothing to do with this story. HA! so, well,**

**ENJOY!**

**Disclaimer: I DONT OWN HEY ARNOLD! i do, however, want to make the first ever full voiced, fully animated, fanimation episode of hey arnold!, so if you think you have a voice match for any of the hey arnold characters, please record it and post it on youtube. and make sure to label the recording KC followed by the name of the character you are voicing. i need voices!**

Gerald was baffled. He looked at Arnold and said, "We are talking about Helga, right? Helga, G., Pataki?" Gerald had always suspected as much, but he didn't think that Arnold had the same thoughts. It's a pretty farfetched idea if you thought about it. Still, it would explain a lot. He still wasn't going to tell Arnold he had suspicions all along, though. That seemed rude, somehow.

"Yeah, I know it sounds crazy, but-"

"Arnold, are you sure you don't like her-like her?" Gerald gave him a funny look.

"I'm sure." He replied with a nod.

"Then why do you keep worrying about it?"

Arnold rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I'm trying to find the reason why she keeps picking on me, specifically. And it kinda makes sense."

"What are you talking about?"

"At hat costume party, she dressed up like Lila. And she acted like her, too. What if she was improving herself for me?"

"That's rediculous." Gerald dismissed.

"And remember all those love poems Mr. Simmons read in front of the class?"

"The ones by anonymous?"

"Yeah. Whenever he read them, Helga sank down in her seat, like they were hers." The more he talked about it, the more he started to believe it. Arnold was really weirded out by all this, even if he was the one saying it. He just couldn't believe how much evidence he had for this idea. _Maybe she does like me_ he thought. _Maybe more._

"Maybe she was bored. People get bored of poetry, you know."

"Class is about to start. I'll show you what I mean."

They sat down as Mr. Simmons walked into the noisy classroom.

"Studens, settle down. Well, uh, good morning class. We'll start off by looking over your papers. I'll pass them back, after I read yet another poem from Anonymous."

Suddenly Arnold was shaking Gerald roughly by the shooulder. "Look, Gerald! See?" Arrnold whispered violently into Gerald's ear as he pointed toward Helga, sinking low, embarassed.

Gerald saw what he was talking about and whispered, "Wow, you were right. That's too low of a sink for it to be boredom."

"I told you!" Arnold remarked.

Gerald noticed kids starting to stare. He didn't want to interrupt class too much. So he said, "Let's continue this discussion at lunch, okay Arnold?"

Helga suddenly got annoyed. "Hey, pipe down! Will ya? Some of us are trying to learn!" She hissed, usual scowl on her face.

"Sorry." They said softly in response.

After awhile more of class, the lunch bell rang. Mr. Simmons continued through its sound. "Okay, class. We'll go over our math assignment after lunch."

Everyone rushed out of the classroom and headed towards the cafeteria line. Somewhere in the line, Helga was in front of Arnold, with Gerald right behind him. "Man, oh, man. Just a few more days until we're sitt'n pretty at the anual Quigly Field All Timers game." Gerald said.

"I know. I can't wait. I've been looking fowrward to it all month. It's gonna be great." Arnold replied with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Front row seats, hot dogs, soda, and only twenty bucks a ticket!"

"Wow, Gerald! How did you get em' so cheap?"

"Fuzzy Slippers gave me a discount, since he knows me. Plus, he couldn't go, so he decided to sell them for cheaper than the origional desk price. He said he didn't need the ticket money back, but he's always in the mood for making a quick buck."

As Arnold continued to listen, he moved forward in the line and bumped into Helga.

"Sorry, Helga." He said immediately.

She instinctively snapped with her signature scowl lingering on her face. "Watch it, footballhead! You coulda knocked my tray over! We wouldn't want a repeat of yesterday, now, would we?"

Arnold glares at her hesitantly, then walks to the table area with Gerald by his side.

Helga stares back with her fists on her hips. "Arnold. What a boob. How inconsiderate. How annoying. How I despise him. And yet," She looks left and right, making sure no one can see her. Then she swiftly hides herself behind a nearby trashcan and pulls her locket out from the collar of her shirt, revealing a photo of Arnold in its heart-shaped cut, taped inside. Her voice suddenly goes unsteady and lovesick. "How I adore him. His curiosity, his kind-hearted words, his untamed ability to see the good in everyone. Why do I only show my cruel side? Why can't I reveal to you my soft, mushy interior, to show you how I really feel? Oh, if only I was brave enough to reveal my true feelings, if only I could be kinder, gentler to you. Oh, if only, if only."

Helga paused, hearing the annoying breathing down the back of her neck. She stood up, stoed the locket in her shirt collar, and slamed the trash can lid down on Brainy. She then put one fist on her hip and brought the other to her head, the index finger rubbing against its surface.

"I still can't believe he hasn't figured it out yet. I mean, it's been, what, six years? And he doesn't have a clue! What's he been doing this whole time, ignoring it?"

She picked up her lunch tray and peered around the wall to see Arnold and Gerald talking to each other at their table.

"That's it! I'm gonna walk over there, and I'm gonna apologize for what I said. And then, I'm gonna start being nice to him. I just cant take it anymore! It's been driving me crazy for six, whole, years! And I've had enough reject! I've suffered enough!"

She tried as hard as she could to keep from shouting. Then she looked down at her tray held in her hands, tears forming in her eyes.

"And so has he."

She pulls her head back and took a deep breath as she leaned against the wall to both calm, and prepare herself for what she is about to (attemt to) do. She then looked back down at her tray, blinking away the tears before they can fall, trying to form a specific expression on her face and struggling as she does so.

Helga walks into the table area with the expression she finally decided on; a vague expression of concern, and regret, just enough for Arnold to say something.

"Are you okay, Helga?" Arnold asks as Helga passes by, still looking down at her tray.

She pauses, turns to Arnold, and says, "I'm fine. I just wanna say,"

Helga gulps and ries to concentrate. _Come on, Helga. You can do this. Just say you're sorry and _don't_ screw it up._

"I, wanna say," she takes another gulp,

"I'm sorry for yelling at you in the lunch line."

Arnold stares at her in wonder and blinks, waiting for an insult to form from her lips. She was about to counter it with one, but then she remembered.

_Okay Helga, now sell it._ "It was mean, and, I shouldn't have said it."

_Good! Good! Now turn and walk away calmly before your stupid ego takes over and ruins everything by sending you back to square one._

She hesitated. Then she looks back down at her tray and walks away calmly. _Finally, I didn't screw it up this time! Okay, the first step is finally complete. Now I have to make sure to be nicer to him from now on._ She then sighed.

_I'm gonna need some help._

She stops and sits down at the table in the far corner next to Phoebe.

"Hey Phoebs." She says.

"Hey, Helga. What did Arnold say to you?"

Helga looks up at Phoebe and replied, "He wondered if I was okay."

Phoebe suddenly formed a look of concern on her face. "Why? Is something on your mind, Helga?"

Helga looked back down at her food. "It's just, I'm sick and tired of being so mean to him, you know? I, I wish I could just, take it all back and start over. I wanna at least be his friend rather than his enemy."

"What did you say to him?"

She looked back up at Phoebe. "I, apologized to him for yelling at him in the lunch line."

Phoebe suddenly choked on a bit of milk and started coughing. "Really?"

"Uh, huh." She answered with a slow nod.

"Wow, Helga. I'm surprised. You must be taking this whole Arnold thing seriously, now, huh?"

"Yeah. Phoebe, could you help me? You know, make sure I don't be so mean to him as I've done in the past? I just know I can't do this alone. Please?"

Phoebe's eyes then turned soft and kind. "Of course, Helga. What else are friends for?"

Helga's eyes lit up. "Thanks, Phoebe. Oh, this doesn't change anything about the secret though, okay?"

"Of course. I wouldn't think of it."

Helga placed a hand on Phoebe's shoulder. "Thanks. You're the best friend a girl could ask for."

Helga then leaned over and hugged Phoebe. She hesitates, being so unused to Helga being this affectionate to her, it took her by surprise, then she softens and hugs her back. They untangle and continue eating.

Meanwhile, just after Helga left Arnold's table, Arnold says, "That was wierd."

"She was totally out of character." Gerald exclaimed.

"I think she's trying to improve herself. I think she's trying to be nicer to me. I just wish I knew."

"Look, if it's really bugging you _that_ much, why don't you just ask her?"

"Are you crazy! No way!"

"It's the only way to find out for sure."

Arnold was about to say something, then paused. He was right. And he knew it. He just didn't it to come to that. He wasn't ready to do that yet. He wanted Gerald's opinion first. To see if he could give him an alternate option if he could. But it was true. Asking her was the only way. Otherwise he'd be wondering his whole life. He might end up torturing himself if he did that. No, he had to ask her, but how?

"I know, it's just, what if I embarass myself? Everyone would laugh at me!" he finally said.

"Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, Arnold. I didn't say you had to do it right now. You don't even have to do it in public. You know what I'm saying?"

"Hey, great idea, Gerald! I'll put a note in her desk asking her to meet me at the park after school!"

"No, too public. It has to be somewhere where you can talk to her alone. Like, your room."

"Yeah. Okay. Thanks, Gerald."

They pause to look over at Helga's table. Suddenly, Helga reaches over to give Phoebe a hug.

"I wonder what they're talking about." Gerald said, "Helga _never_ hugged Phoebe before."

"It's a mystery." Arnold replies with a soft smile playing on his face.

**yay! u finished chappie 2! the third chapter will b out as soon as i can get it out.**

**A special thanks to _Anonymous Latina, acosta perez jose ramiro, Crystal-Buu, _and extended thanks to _SuprSinger_ for all of your reviews and replies. you rock for that! just like some fanfic writer (i cant remember who it is) i have talked to once said in a fanfic of theirs(you know who you are! i hope.), the reviews i get for any of my stories always makes me smile! :)**

**keep reading! you should know what im going to say next. im going to say it anyway, for those who dont.**

**REVIEW!**


	3. Lack of Spitballs and a Note

**Hieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Finally! Chappie three is here! Party! Party! Party!**

**Well, I don't have much to say. Yay, honesty! Oh, wait. I'm sorry this took longer than I planned. I'm sure you're dying to read the next chapter by now. I didn't mean for it to take this long to type it and post. I've been very busy lately. Yay! More honesty! And now for the random phrase of the chapter. Gobbldigook! **

**Disclaimer: For some reason, I feel the need to say this. I DO NOT OWN HEY ARNOLD. Wouldn't it be sweet if I did though?**

**Anyway, here's chappie three! Enjoy!**

_Helga,_

_Meet me at my house at seven today. I need to talk to you. It's important. Please come alone._

_Signed,_

_Arnold_

When he finished writing, he looked over what he wrote. It seemed pretty good, good and vague. That's how he wanted it. He wanted her to be honest when he asked her the burning question. That meant to not give away the topic until after they are alone in his room. He folded it up and stowed it in his desk.

When he refocused on the teacher, Mr. Simmons had been going on about 'the wonderful world of multiplication tables'. Arnold followed along as he took notes.

Then he noticed something. Helga didn't throw a single spitball at him since lunch. That struck him as odd. Then he figured it be best if he doesn't say anything until she comes over.

After class was dismissed for recess and everyone was out of the room, Arnold snuck back in and took the folded note out. Then, he took his pencil and wrote 'to Helga' on it. He walked over to Helga's desk, carefully opened it up, and set the note inside where she would see it. Then he closed her desk back up and and joined the others outside. As Arnold joined up with Gerald on the blacktop, he asked, "Hey Arnold! Where have you been?" "I had to take care of something." Arnold replied with a wink. Sid and Stinky were dumbfounded by his wink, but Gerald comepletely understood what he meant and said, "Come on! Let's play!"

As Arnold and his friends played four-square, Helga and Phoebe were sitting on the metal jungle gym, talking as they observed the rest of the kids play.

"You're making great progress, Helga." Phoebe said as she looked at her clipboard in her hands. "Not a single spitball since lunch. And your verbal insults averege has dropped dramatically. You didn't even need me to nudge you. I'm impressed!"

Phoebe reviewed her clipboard of notes in silence.

"That's great news, Phoebs! So, how long is this gonna take?"

Phoebe looked back up at Helga. "The average time it takes for me to heal that kind of behavior is about two to three months."

Helga slumped a little at hearing that. "What about me?" She asked all freaked out and nervous.

"Well, Helga. If your progress keeps up like this, I'd say it'll take," Phoebe looked back to her clipboard and traced her finger lightly against the line of the graph. "about two to three weeks!"

Helga then perked right up. "Yes!" She exclaimed in rejoice. "This is great! Do you know what this means, Phoebe?"

"Uh," Phoebe didn't know what to say, nor did she feel comfortable saying anything. Helga was holding onto her shoulders now.

"Once I'm cured, I won't be labeled as a bully anymore!"

Helga then pulled Phoebe in closer, tightening her grip on her shoulders, their faces mere inches away.

"And best part is, Arnold won't be afraid of me anymore!"

Helga started to shake Phoebe senseless, causing her glasses to lose balance off of her nose and tip crookedly. She then pushed her away as she continued on.

"And soon, we'll become friends, maybe even more!" She turned to Phoebe.

"Don't you see, Phoebe? This plan might be the thing that finally brings me and Arnold together!" Helga then spread her arms out wide, palms facing to the sky.

"Helga," Phoebe peeped.

"What? What is it Phoebe? What? I'm talking here!" Helga replied with edge.

"Actually Helga, if you want the bully label completely off of you, you'll need to be nice to everyone, not just Arnold. Otherwise, suspicion will increase, and your secret might be revealed sooner than you expect. Maybe not by direct announcement, but the sudden change in behavior around him alone will imply the idea and they will eventually come to that conclusion."

Helga paused in thought. She never thought about that. _What if they do find out my deepest, darkest secret? They'll laugh at me! I'll never be able to show my face again! That was the whole reason I'm keeping the secret in the first place, right?_

"Oh. Well, I'll have to work on that, too. After all, we don't want history repeating itself, right Phoebs?" Helga said eventually with a smirk.

Phoebe nodded once. "And I'll give you a nudge in the right direction when you need it."

Helga sat on the cold, metal bar and placed her arm snuggly around her friend. "Phoebe, with you by my side, there's nothing we can't do!"

The bell rang, ending recess.

As they were waiting for Mr. Simmons to enter the room, Gerald was a bit curious about something. "Hey Arnold! Did you get that thing taken care of?"

Arnold looked over to Gerald and said, "Folded, labeled, and put away, Gerald."

Arnold and Gerald put their fists together and wiggled their thumbs, then pulled away and faced front when they spotted Mr. Simmons walking into the classroom.

"Now, class. Let's start today's Social Studies lesson. Please open your books to chapter six."

Everyone got out their textbooks as Mr. Simmons continued on with the remainder of the school day.

...

When the final bell of the day rang, the class grabbed their stuff out of their desks and ran for the door.

When Helga went to grab the stuff from her desk, inside she saw a piece of folded up paper placed on her stack of notepaper. She curiously picked up the note.

"'To Helga'. I wonder who it's from."

She carefully starts unfolding the note when she hears Phoebe call to her from outside.

"Helga! Are you coming?" She shouted.

"In a minute! Hold the bus for me Phoebs!"

Helga then folded the note back up and slides it into her shirt collar against her locket.

"Holding!" Phoebe called back.

Helga quickly grabbed all of her books and shoved them into her messenger bag. Then she paced to her locker, grabbed her jacket, and slammed it shut as she raced out the door.

As soon as she spotted her friend storming her way toward the bus, Phoebe turned her head and said, "Open the door! Here she comes!"

As Helga arrived at the bus, the doors swung open.

"Thanks Phoebs." She said out of breath.

"No problem Helga." Phoebe replied.

They both sat down in their usual seats as the bus driver closed the doors and pulled away from the school.

After they got situated in their seats, Helga pulled the note out from her collar.

"What's that?" Phoebe asked.

"It's a note." she replied, "Someone left it for me in my desk."

"Who's it from?" Phoebe asked with more curiosity.

Helga turned it over, inspecting it. "It doesn't say."

Helga carefully unfoded the note.

"What does it say?" Phoebe asked.

_Criminy! What's up with the twenty questions?_ Helga thought.

Helga read the note just loud enough for Phoebe and herself to hear.

"'Helga, Meet me at my house at seven today. I need to talk to you. It's important. Please come _alone._"

She looked below to read the signature.

"It's from Arnold! He wants me to meet him at his house!" Helga said, eyes wide.

"You should go." Phoebe advised. "I'll come with you, so you don't mess things up."

"But Phoebe," Helga pointed at the note. "It says to come alone. If I bring you with me, he'll just leave you outside in the cold. Besides, I think I shoud handle this one on my own."

"Helga, are you sure?" Phoebe asked with concern as she turned to Helga.

Helga places a hand on Phoebe's shoulder and looked at her straight in the eyes. "Positive."

**Oooooh, what's gonna happen next? You'll have to wait to find out! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Tee, hee!**

**Now, we both know what's coming, but I have to say it.**

**REVIEW!**


	4. The Truth Comes Out

**Hello everyone! This is K.C. with my pre-comment of the chapter. And yes, they do have their little conversation here! Get psyched! How it'll go down; you'll have to read and find out!**

**Oh, and the random phrase of this chapter is...**

**...monkey sandwich face!**

**'Okay, now you're just mixing our names together.' XD I watch the wierdest T.V. shows sometimes!**

**Anyway, enjoy chappie four!**

**Disclaimer: I said it once and I won't say it again...okay, maybe I will. But this is the last time. I DON'T OWN HEY ARNOLD! Now, LEAVE ME ALONE!**

"So Arnold, do you think she'll come? This is Helga we're talking about." Gerald said as they were riding the bus home.

"Oh, come on, Gerald. Even if she doesn't like me, she's not heartless. She'll come." Arnold replied.

"Alright, Arnold, if you say so."

Arnold never thought about that before. _Now that he mentioned it, what if she doesn't come? I don't know what I'd do if she didn't show. I've been focusing so much on it for so long. Finding clues, putting the pieces together. I haven't been able to think straight for weeks! It's been driving me crazy! And if she does come, what if she doesn't like me? Why, then, would she hate me if she hardly knew me? I'd have to re-gather clues from her and look at those side by side all laid out and try to fit those pieces together and I'd have to spend several more weeks on figuring out Helga's reasoning and, and..._

Arnold shook his head. _Calm down, Arnold. If I run into any problems in my plan, I'll think about it then. Right now, I have to make sure I know how I'm gonna ask._ He took a deep breath and let it out. _After all, I have until seven to think this through._

Arnold thought about it as he walked home from the bus stop. When he got home, he figured he should tell his grandpa that she's coming over.

Phil comes out of the bathroom and spots his grandson. "So how was your day, shortman?" He asked.

"Fine, I guess. Grandpa, I have a friend coming over today. Is that alright?" Arnold decided not to tell him who it was.

Phil's face lit up. "Of course! When when did you invite em'?"

"I told them to come by about seven." Arnold replied.

"Okay! I'll be on the lookout!"

Phil's stomach growled and he clenched it with his hands. "From the bathroom! Excuse me, Arnold!" He added, heading back to the restroom.

Arnold then went up to his room. He paced back and forth, thinking of ways to ask her. He started thinking aloud. "So, I've been thinking awhile, and I was wondering. Do you like me? Not that I like _you_, or anything, the thought just crossed my mind and, no, no. That's stupid. Hmm."

After awhile of throwing away ideas for asking her, Arnold heard his grandma calling up, "Dinner, Tex!" and he headed downstairs.

As everyone at the table ate their spaghetti and meatballs, more ideas kept poping up in his head and his mind kept tossing them out. He helped pick up the table and washed the dishes. Then he went back up to his room.

When he re-entered his room, Arnold noticed some things lying around and stared picking up. He also hid things he knew he didn't want her to see.

In the middle of stowing, Arnold then came across a little pink book on his shelf and started to flip through it, remembering the day he came across it. He flipped through some random pages, then flipped all the way to the back, where Helga tore out that last page and threw it at him in spitball form. He remembered testing to see who it belonged to. He remembered skipping Helga because at the time, he thought it could never belong to her. Now as he looked back though, it could have very well been hers. Then he thought of something.

He reached over to his bookshelf and got out his most recent yearbook. He opened it to the page with his class on it and opened the little pink book to a random page. He then looked on the yearbook page for Helga's picture. He then compared the signature in the yearbook to the cursive handwriting in the little pink book. Then his eyes widend. They match. Almost perfectly.

Why did he skip her the first time? She must be missing it a lot. She must have felt embarassed when he read the poems aloud to almost the whole class. Then it hit him. _That's why she ripped the last page out as I was reading it. She must have written her name on that page. That's what it was going to spell. H.E.L.G.A. It makes sense now. _Then he thought, _I'll surprise her._ as he placed it back on his shelf along with his yearbook, being sure to remember what books he squeezed the little pink book between. Then he went back to stowing things out of sight.

He just stowed the last box in his closet when he heard the doorbell ring. He looked to his clock. 7:00 pm. "She's here!" Arnold said as he darted out of his room. He rushed downstairs as fast as he could and got to the door before anyone else could. He opened the door.

She held up the note he left her. "You told me to come over?" She said, trying to give him a sincere look instead of a scowl, though her voice sounding very casual.

Arnold smiled. "Right on time. Come on in." He gestured for her to step inside.

Helga felt a bit weird about this. She's never actually been invited into Arnold's house before. Sure, she snuck in and out a few times, all with the purpose to keep her most gaurded secret from him, but he never knew she was in his house all those times.

Wait, didn't Arnold throw a 'Geek' party awhile ago? She went to that. Then again, everyone was invited, so, that doesn't really count, does it?

Taking casual precaution, Helga nervously stepped inside her love's home. She hesitated, then her shoulders eased as her eyes started to wander.

"Nice place." She said, trying to be nice, as well as trying to hide the fact that she has, in fact, been here about a dozen times or more already and already knew what his place looked like.

"Thanks, Helga." Then he took her by the wrist/hand and tugged her to follow him. "Come on. I'll take you to my room."

_He's showing me up to his room! (Swoons mentally)_ "Okay." She replied.

Arnold then made his way up the steps as Helga followed closely behind.

As they step into his room, Arnold closes the door behind them.

Even though she has been in here a countless number of times, Helga breathes it in as she can't get enough soaking in of Arnold's room. _A room fit for a king. For Arnold, my love, for he is a king._

As she comes back to reality, Helga turns to face Arnold. "So, what did you want to talk to me about, Arnold?" She asks casually.

Arnold then turns and walks to his bed and they sit down as he says, "Well, I've been observing and reviewing your actions and reactions toward me recently."

"Okay." She said, inwardly thinking, _Hmm. Interesting conversation starter._

Arnold looked down at his hands. "And up until last night I just couldn't figure out what the connection was."

"So?" _Connection to what? I wonder where he's going with this._

Arnold started fiddling with his hands. "Well, you see, I thought about it last light and I was about to give up on the whole thing. Then I remembered a dream I had a while back. At first I thought it was just a dream, but after all that has happened, I'm thinking it might actually be true."

_What is he talking about?_ "What's your point?" She said, raising one side of her brow.

Then it hit her. _Oh, no! What if he figures out that-_

Arnold finished her thoughts for her with his burning question. "Do you like me?"

The words echoed in her ears, not knowing how to respond. _What should I do? What should I say? I didn't want him to find out yet! Calm down, Helga. What ever you do, don't insult him._

As Helga's thoughts clouded her mind, making it deafening in her head, the room remained quiet as Arnold was still waiting for a response.

Arnold broke the silence after awhile. "It's okay, Helga. It's just you and me here. I promise I won't tell anyone." He assured her.

Helga's thoughts continued. _Well better not tell anyone. Wait, I haven't answered him yet! What shoud I tell him?_

Then her conscience replied.

_Tell him the truth._

Finally, she hung her head over her knees.

"Yes." She uttered softly, though still loud enough for Arnold to hear.

Arnold thought it over a moment, then asked, "Do you like me, like me?"

She hesitated. "Yes."

Arnold took a gulp before saying his next words. "Do you-"

Then Helga bursted out. "I love you, okay? La-dee-da, loop-dee-loop, head over heels, over the moon, ga-ga in love with you! I've filled volumes of books with poetry about you! Built shrines to you! I once even made a likeness of you out of your used gum! I know that sounds obsessive, but people do crazy things when their in love! I've loved you ever since I first laid eyes on your stupid little football head! And ever since, I've stalked you day and night, dreaming of you and I possibly getting married together, traveling around the world together! There! Happy now? Happy?" She dramatically gestured toward him with her hands.

Then she plopped down on his bed, defeated.

"Now you know my biggest secret." She uttered in a weak tone as she stared hoplessly through his glass ceiling to the dark night sky.

Arnold thought a minute. "Why did you hide it from me?"

"I didn't want to be utterly embarassed and humiliated. I was afraid you wouldn't love me back." She said as she continued to look out the ceiling window.

"How long, have you loved me?"

She took a hard swallow as she sat up. "Six years."

She swallowed again, this time her eyes welling up with tears. "I-I just, couldn't stand hurting you anymore. So I decided to start with an apology."

He looked up at Helga. "You mean at lunch today?"

She hid a smile. "Yeah. Did you notice the lack of spitballs in your hair today?"

"I wondered about that." He had to admit, that was pretty strange.

"So, you won't tell anybody?"

Arnold held up his right hand and placed his left over his chest. "Not a word."

"Thanks, Arnold. I knew there was a good reason why I liked you." She couldn't hide her smile from him anymore.

Helga made her way to the door.

Arnold suddenly remembered sumething. "Oh, Helga. Before I forget," He pulls a little pink book off the shelf. "I believe this is yours."

He hands it to Helga. "You kept it all this time?"

"Yeah. I knew I'd find the owner eventually."

Helga hesitated as her hand hovered over the doorknob. Then she turned back to him.

"So, what are we gonna do now?" She said, her smile disappeared, though not quite frowning.

He looked down, unsure. "I don't know."

She suddenly had hope lighting her face. "You know, you're not the only one that I'm gonna treat better. I've decided it's time for me to stop hiding and be a better person to the world."

Arnold looked down to the floor, then back up to Helga. "Maybe we could be friends, later on."

"Yeah." She said softly.

"Who knows? Maybe in time, I'll fall in love with you too. Maybe one day," He swallowed at this, "we will be married."

Helga didn't notice. "Yeah, maybe."

Helga handed the book back to him.

"Keep it."

He looked at the book and then back to Helga. "Why?"

Helga looked down. "If anyone sees it in my hands, they'll know I wrote those poems."

Arnold looked down in disappointment. "Okay." Then he looked up at her in a sad smile. "Thanks for being honest."

Due to old habits, Helga wanted to threaten Arnold so as to make sure that he wouldn't tell. But she was so broken down, she wasn't in the mood to bully right now. In fact, she felt as if all of her 'inner bully' was completely spent. Like some sort of heavy shackles were finally being removed from her aching heart. She was free. So she settled on a two-worded farewell she used on him once before but kinda hoped he wouldn't recognize.

"Aurevoir, Arnold." She said softly with a wave and a soft smile.

"Bye, Helga. See you tomarrow." And the door closed behind her as she made her way down.

Just when he had closed the door, the full impact of her farewell hit him. That sounded so familiar to him. Like he had heard it somewhere before. But where?

He looked at the time. It was nearly nine o'clock. He yawned. _I'll figure it out later. _He thought as he lay himself in bed. _I'm too tired to think about it now._

_It's over. _she thought as she walked down the steps of the front stoop. _He finally knows. And I'm not dead._

Helga has comepletely spent her energy on all the other things she'd done to keep the secret from him in the past, that she had none left to keep it from him up front. It was then that she realized something else. She wouldn't have much energy left to keep up the charade in school from her classmates after that. Then she figured that she'll do her best. At least until things get a little smoother between her and foot-, Arnold.

She looked back up to the boarding house she had just exited. "I will be a better person from now on. I promise." She says, walking home with a soft smile playing on her face.

**Okay! So what do ya think? Give me your honest opinion! Gimmee gimmee! (random old lady walks up and slaps me in the face) Gimmee gimmee never gets! WAAAAAAHHHHH!**

**I know, I know. It was a long chapter compared to my usual posts. Hey, I had a lot to put into it this time, okay? Thanks everyone who has reviewed any previous chaps. Espacially those few who stuck with me from the beginning of this story. Thanks you guys!**

**Now, with nothing further to say, I must end this with a firm...**

**REVIEW!**


	5. A Friend Is Made

**Random guy walking in the park: Hello!**

**Other random guy on the street: Why are you so happy?**

**Random guy #1: Guess!**

**Random guy #2: A friend of yours just got dumped by their incredibly hot wife and you two are getting married!**

**Random guy #1: What! No! Where'd you get that idea?**

**Random guy #2: (sighs) My wife dumped me.**

**Random guy #1: And she and your friend are getting married?**

**Random guy #2: Bingo.**

**Random guy #1: She hot?**

**Random guy #2: Like the sun.**

**Random guy #1: Ouch. Well, anyways, I was just on the internet.**

**Random guy #2: And I should care about this because...?**

**Random guy #1: I was checking my email, and I noticed an update posted on my favorites.**

**Random guy #2: (stands up from the bench) No way. You mean...?**

**Random guy #1: That's right! Chapter five of Helga's Big Secret is posted!**

**Random guy #2: Awesome!**

**(Both stands there awkwardly)**

**Random guy #1: So, aren't you gonna rush home to check it out?**

**Random guy #2: Can't. My ex took my car in the divorce cuts. I have no way of getting home.**

**Random guy #1: Wanna ride?**

**Random guy #2: Hey, thanks! Wait, I don't even know you.**

**Random guy #1: Who cares? Get in! You've got a chapter to read!**

**Random guy #2: Alright! Let's go!**

**Hello fellow posters! I hope you liked my little comedy mini script I came up with. So anyway, I don't have much to say, so here's the random word for the chapter.**

**Super Santa-licious!**

**Yes, I'm in the Christmas mood. I can't help it! It's just so exciting! Waking up at like four in the morning due to pure excitement! The looks on people's faces when they see what they got! Oh, I can hardly wait! Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: THERE IS NO WAY IN THE WORLD I OWN HEY ARNOLD!, SO STOP BUGGING ME!**

Helga was walking to the bus stop, thinking about the conversation last night with Arnold. He had kept her pink poetry book this whole time! And she had no idea! Sure, she knew that he found it, but she never thought he would have kept it all this time! She just wanted to hug him and kiss him with all she's got, but she knew that even though she told him her secret, it would still be outrageously awkward. She couldn't kiss him now, out of nowhere, with no script to disguise it.

She realized that she felt a strong sense of relief. He knows her deepest, darkest secret now. She didn't have to hide it from him anymore. Well, not completely, anyway. Though there was still the matter of the rest of the class. No. She made a plan, and she's going to stick by it. She couldn't believe she was actually thinking of telling the class then! Everyone would be comepletely baffled. They'd make fun of her like before. That's the reason she was a jerk in the first place. She didn't want to go back to square one.

She continued to think on it as the bus pulled up to the bus stop in front of her. She did feel more free, though. She didn't have to get all comepletely nervous around him all the time. She smiled and relaxed her shoulders as she stepped onto the bus. No kicking or shoving this time. Just walked up the steps and down the isle with the smile seen plain as day on her face. She then stopped at the empty seat next to Phoebe and took a seat.

Phoebe was too curious about her conversation last night to notice Helga's relaxed smile. "So, what happened last night, Helga? What did he want to talk to you about?" She asked.

Helga looked to Phoebe with a soft smile. "I told him." She said.

Phoebe suddenly went wide eyed at her. "You, what! Are you sure that was such a good idea?"

Helga shrugged her shoulders. "He figured it out. I just said enough is enough and answered truthfully."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And you know, I kinda feel better now. I feel great actually. I don't have to comepletely hide it from him anymore. Yet another load taken off of my mind."

Phoebe was still unsure of this. "Does anyone else know?"

Helga's face brightened up even more. "Nope. He promised to keep it secret."

"Well, did you threaten him in any way?"

Helga shook her head. "Not at all. He's a good kid. Now that he knows, there's no need to hurt him anymore."

Phoebe smiled at that. She was proud. Helga has kept control over her fears long enough to reveal her love for someone to that someone. That was the biggest step she took.

And the step Phoebe was hoping she would take.

Meanwhile, Gerald and Arnold were also talking. "So, did you ask her?" Gerald asked.

Arnold turned to him. "Yeah."

"And?"

Arnold looked down. "I can't tell you. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."

"Aw, come on, Arnold! We're best friends! There's no way I'll tell anybody." He said with pleading eyes.

Arnold gave it a bit of thought. "Promise you wont tell?"

Gerald gives him a grin. "Any secret of yours is a secret of mine."

"Cross your heart?"

"And hope to die."

Arnold took a deep breath in and then let it out. "Okay."

Arnold leaned over in Gerald's ear.

"She likes me." He whispered.

Then he leaned back.

The familiar smirk then played on Gerald's face. "I knew it."

Arnold then looked to him in surprise and disbelief. "What? How?"

Gerald continued to smirk. "While you were busy elsewhere on the playground, I noticed her hiding behind trashcans. I didn't hear what she was talking to herself about, but I also noticed how she looks at you sometimes. As well as how she's nervous when you ask her questions of a certain subject and how she answers to them. I always had a funny feeling she liked you, just wasn't sure if I should have told you then. Man, I can't believe you didn't see it sooner!"

Arnold looked down. "Well, those weren't her exact words."

Gerald turned to him. "What?"

Arnold sighed. "The word she used wasn't like."

"What do you mean?"

"She said that she," Arnold swallowed at this word, "loved me."

Gerald's eyes went wide. "Woah. Helga said that?"

Arnold nodded.

"Man. That's a strong word, Arnold. You think she means it?"

"She sounded serious."

Gerald saw the look on Arnold's face and decided to move on with the subject. "Does anyone else know?"

Arnold was relieved to be moving forward with this conversation. "I think Phoebe does. But other than that, no."

Gerald was still curious about something. "Well, what about you?"

Arnold was confused at this question for he didn't understand. "What?"

"Do you like her?" Gerald explained.

"I don't know, Gerald. I haven't thought about it."

Arnold looked down at his shoes. "She said she'll be nicer, so, maybe."

Then he looked out the window. "Maybe I do."

Class was just fine. Arnold thought about it all through class. Now that he knows how she feels, how does he feel about her? He thought about it through lunch, and the next lesson, all the way up until the last recess of the day.

After the bell rang for recess, everyone headed outside.

Sid poked his head in and called, "You coming, Arnold?"

"Yeah, in a minute, Sid. I gotta take care of something first." Arnold called back as he walked back into the classroom.

He took a package out of his own desk and placed it into Helga's. Then he headed outside.

He paid attention for the remainder of the class. Which was pretty boring to just about everyone.

After the bell rang, dismissing classes, Helga grabbed her books without looking, grabbing the package as well, and shoved them into her bag. Then she ran for the bus.

When she got home, as she unloaded her books, she noticed the plain brown package and opened it. When she saw what was inside, her eyes fluttered as she swooned and held the book close to her.

"Oh, Arnold. You do care."

She swooned again as she fell on her bed. Then she rewrote the page that she tore out awhile ago.

_H is for the head I'd like to punt_

_E is for every time I see the little runt_

_L is longing for our firstest kiss_

_G is for how good that longing is_

_A is for Arnold_

As she read her rewritten poetry signature, she remembered back to that day that Arnold found it, back when he didn't suspect her at all. Those were some good times. Hectic, but fun, actually, now that she looked back on it. When she went to put her book of poems away with the others, she tripped over her feet and the book flew out of her hands. When it landed on its spine, it opened to a random page and something slid out from the back. It was an envelope. As she picked up the book, she noticed it and picked it up as well. On one side it read,

To: Helga

From: Arnold

She opened the envelope, curious as to what her beloved had to say to her. Inside was a letter:

_Helga,_

_Sorry about reading your poems aloud awhile back. I didn't know it would affect you so much. Please let me know if you accept my apology. I may not like you the same way you feel about me now, but one day, it just might happen. Don't give up hope. I may not like you like you, but I do like you. Like I said before, your secret's safe with me. Continue to make an effort to be nice like you did yesterday. It may have seemed odd, but I kinda enjoyed the sudden kindness from you that day. Looking back, I remember all of those times you helped me out. You're a good friend, Helga. Don't change._

_Your new friend,_

_Arnold_

When she finished reading the letter, Helga held it close to her, swooning once more, twirling, ever so enchanted by his words. Then she tripped and fell, as usual.

"Oh Arnold. He likes me. I'm halfway there. He even told me in his letter. He even said that I'm his friend. What a kind, thoughtful boy."

Then she stood, her hand over her heart. " I, Helga G. Pataki, vow that from this moment on, I will right to whom I have so wronged. Not just to Arnold, my true beloved, but to everyone I have harmed, I will be kinder, nicer, more thoughtful and generous to."

Then she went into her closet and pulled back her clothes, revealing her shrine to Arnold. She gently caressed its cheek. "All for you, my love. Though it may as of yet to be true, I will eventually win you over with my kindness, and you will be mine forever on."

She then walked out of her closet, placed the book up on her shelf, and put the envelope on her bedside table. Then she fell into bed on her back and started kicking her legs over the edge. "Arnold and I are friends. Arnold and I are friends. Arnold and I are friends! Oh, joy! Oh, rapture! Oh, ecstasy!"

She sat up, set the letter aside and took a sip from her glass of water to calm herself down. Then she shut the light off and slipped under her covers. As she set her head down on her pillow and closed her eyes, she snapped them open, only to shut them once more, this time with a warm, sweet smile on her face. Now, she drifted off to sleep, finding her way once again into her Arnold filled fantasies, only this time knowing there's a good chance they may one day come true.

**I hope you all liked it!**

**Now that you were patient enough to read this far, I have a very important question for all of you. I bet you are all wondering if Arnold will fall for Helga or not. Well, I have something written up on that. What I wanna know is how I should post it. Should I post it as more chapters, or a sequal post? This is where you come in. Please post your answers of how I should go about this in your reviews. Which brings me to my next and always last question.**

**REVIEW!**


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